The 16 Best Golf Courses In Ohio
With eight courses securing spots on Golf Digest’s prestigious list of the top 200 greatest courses in America for 2023–2024, Ohio stands shoulder to shoulder with Illinois, leading the pack in the Midwest. This accolade underscores the Buckeye State’s status as a premier destination for golf enthusiasts. From meticulously crafted layouts to stunning natural landscapes, Ohio’s golfing gems promise unforgettable experiences for players of all levels. Join us as we explore some of the top courses that have earned Ohio its well-deserved reputation among the golfing elite.
16. Firestone Country Club: South
Renowned for its rich PGA tournament history, the par-70, 7,400-yard South Course at Firestone Country Club features some of golf’s toughest and most famous holes. Hosting over 70 professional tournaments, including 18 WGC-Bridgestone Invitationals, 36 World Series of Golf, and three PGA Championships, it currently hosts the Kaulig Companies Championship. Designed by Bert Way in 1929 and extensively redesigned by Robert Trent Jones Sr. for the 1960 PGA Championship, the South Course is consistently ranked among the top 100 courses in the U.S.
15. The Virtues Golf Club
The Virtues Golf Club, near Columbus, Ohio, is the state’s premier golfing destination. As Ohio’s only top-100 ranked public course, it is a must-play for golfers. Ranked #84 on Golf Digest’s 2021 list of America’s 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses and the top public course in Ohio by Golf Magazine, this Arthur Hills-designed masterpiece offers a pristine and challenging experience, featuring natural terrain and varied lies.
14. Coldstream Country Club
Coldstream, one of Dick Wilson’s finest courses, had lost much of its original character over time. In 2020, Keith Foster’s exceptional restoration, including tree removal, fairway expansion, and bunker deepening and reshaping, revived Wilson’s intricate design and the course’s grandeur.
13. Mayfield Sand Ridge Golf Club: Sand Ridge
In 1992, Fairmount Minerals Chairman William Conway enlisted renowned golf architect Tom Fazio to transform 370 acres of woods, pastures, and wetlands adjacent to a sandstone quarry in Chardon, Ohio, into Sand Ridge. Their vision for a world-class course, featuring pure golf, a traditional caddie program, and a challenging yet fair layout, came to life with Fazio’s design, which skillfully incorporated five natural wetlands. This made Sand Ridge Ohio’s first course, and one of the few globally, to be designated a Certified Audubon International Signature Wildlife Sanctuary. Opened on May 18, 1998, the course has earned numerous awards and hosted various qualifiers, including the U.S. Open and NCAA Division I Men’s Regional.
12. NCR Country Club: South
NCR Country Club in Southwest Ohio features two signature Dick Wilson golf courses. The South Course, ranked #68 on Golfweek’s Top 100 Classic list, is a challenging par-71 layout spanning 7,055 yards and has hosted numerous state, regional, and national championships.
11. The Country Club
Located in the upscale Pepper Pike area of east Cleveland, The Country Club features a William Flynn-designed course from the late 1920s, renowned for its smooth elevation changes and abrupt land shifts. Highlights include the uphill par-4 third, the downhill eighth, and the challenging north side holes like the par-3 11th, par-4 15th, par-5 16th, and par-4 17th. A 2022 renovation by Gil Hanse and Jim Wagner enhanced the course by enlarging bunkers, expanding green perimeters and fairways, and extending the 18th green by approximately 80 yards.
10. The Kirtland Country Club
Founded in 1920, Kirtland Country Club enlisted C.H. Alison, an associate of Harry Colt, to design a new golf course on a 260-acre property northeast of Cleveland. Within a year, Alison unveiled an 18-hole layout featuring rolling landscapes and a back nine along the Chagrin River. Known for its raised greens and pronounced bunkers, the course challenges golfers to strategically place their tee shots. A 2007 restoration by Ron Forse renewed the sand traps, expanded fairways, and reclaimed green surfaces, preserving its original design. The front nine offers challenging holes, but the back nine, incorporating the river for strategic play, truly shines. A funicular ride from the 17th green to the 18th tee adds a memorable finish.
9. Brookside Country Club
Brookside Country Club, featuring an 18-hole par-71 course designed by Donald Ross in 1922, is a premier golf destination. In addition to the challenging course, the club offers a driving range, putting greens, and a pitching/chipping green. Members enjoy numerous events and programs, including leagues, tournaments, and a junior golf program. Brookside’s full-service Golf Pro Shop, clinics, lessons, and locker rooms enhance the golfing experience. Recognized in Golf Week Magazine’s Top 100 and ranked #70, Brookside was also honored by Golf Digest as the “Best New Remodel” in January 2006.
8. Canterbury Golf Club
Canterbury Golf Club, designed by Herbert Strong and founded in 1921, is nationally recognized among the top 100 U.S. courses and one of Ohio’s finest. Embracing natural topography, it offers a challenging yet fair layout. Hosting major championships like the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and Senior Open, Canterbury is only the second U.S. club to host all five major championships. A 2016 renovation preserved its original design, maintaining its esteemed status as rated by Golf Digest, Golf, and Golfweek magazines.
7. Moraine Country Club
Founded in 1930, Moraine Country Club has etched its place in golfing history, hosting legendary golfer Byron Nelson’s ninth major championship during his remarkable 11-win streak. The club, designed by Alec “Nipper” Campbell, offers a Scottish links-style course. A 2016 renovation by Keith Foster restored its original charm, maintaining Moraine’s status as a premier golfing destination.
6. Double Eagle Club
Founded on March 1, 1997, with 57 original members and led by first president Gene Sarazen, the Double Eagle Golf Club is the official worldwide registry for double eagles in both tournament and casual play. Achieving a double eagle represents excellence, not luck, reflecting hours of practice, dedication, and skill.
5. Scioto Country Club
Designed by renowned architect Donald Ross as the first 18-hole golf course in central Ohio, Scioto Country Club opened in 1916 and quickly gained national stature. It became the club where Jack Nicklaus learned the game and hosted the 1926 U.S. Open won by Bobby Jones. Scioto is one of only five U.S. courses to have hosted five different major championships, including the 1931 Ryder Cup, 1950 PGA Championship, 1968 U.S. Amateur, and 1986 Senior U.S. Open. In its centennial year, the club hosted the 2016 U.S. Senior Open. Recently renovated by Andrew Green in 2021, the course was restored to its original Ross design. Scioto boasts four PGA Hall of Fame professionals and offers top-tier practice facilities.
4. Inverness Club
Completed in 1918, Inverness Club’s championship course swiftly gained acclaim, hosting the Ohio Open in 1919 and the U.S. Open in 1920, the first of four (1920, 1931, 1957, 1979). Known for its dramatic PGA Championships (1986, 1993), Inverness has hosted major events over a 101-year span. In 2016 and 2024, architect Andrew Green restored Donald Ross’s original design, expanding green complexes and adding length, ensuring the course’s modern relevance. Today, Inverness Club, stretching over 7,700 yards, remains a national treasure in professional sports.
3. The Camargo Club
One of Seth Raynor’s final designs, the course was completed a year after his 1926 death by William Jackson, who made minor alterations. In the 1960s, Robert von Hagge added bunkers, later restored by Tom Doak to Raynor’s original style. Don Placek’s recent renovations expanded fairways and restored the 17th hole’s historic features, maintaining the course’s classic design integrity.
2. The Golf Club
Built in 1966, The Golf Club exemplifies Pete Dye’s shift to lay-of-the-land designs inspired by a 1963 tour of Scotland, reintroducing deception and misdirection in American golf. Jack Nicklaus’s involvement led to a five-year partnership. In 2014, Dye returned to update holes and green contours, subtly reflecting his evolving design style.
1. Muirfield Village Golf Club
Since its inception in 1974, Muirfield Village has undergone several transformations under the keen eye of golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Regularly hosting the PGA Tour’s Memorial Tournament, each iteration sees strategic enhancements aimed at maintaining its championship caliber while ensuring playability for all members.
